Israel-Hezbollah Clashes Strain Fragile Ceasefire Agreement

Recent hostilities between Israel and Hezbollah are challenging the boundaries of the delicate ceasefire agreement established last week. On Monday, following Hezbollah’s launch of two mortar shells at an Israeli military outpost, Israel conducted its most extensive sequence of air strikes since the truce commenced. These strikes resulted in the deaths of nine individuals across two villages in southern Lebanon. A veteran observer in Lebanon commented, “Yesterday was the most dangerous moment for the cessation of hostilities.” The Israeli military stated its targets were Hezbollah fighters, rocket launchers, and infrastructure. Nevertheless, in a declaration, it also affirmed: “The State of Israel remains obligated to the fulfilment of the conditions of the ceasefire agreement in Lebanon.” In recent days, both parties have leveled accusations against one another for breaching the truce facilitated by the US and France. The agreement stipulates that Israel is forbidden from undertaking offensive military actions in Lebanon, concurrently, Lebanon is required to stop armed factions, such as Hezbollah, from initiating assaults on Israel. The Israeli army reported no casualties resulting from the mortar strike on its outpost in the strategically important Shebaa Farms area, situated along the boundary between Lebanon and the Israeli-occupied Golan Heights. Despite this, Israel’s Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu promptly pledged a “strong” retaliation. Additionally, Defence Minister Israel Katz made strong remarks, stating on Tuesday: “If the ceasefire collapses, there will no longer be an exemption for the state of Lebanon.” He further added: “We will enforce the agreement with maximum response and zero tolerance; If until now we have separated Lebanon and Hezbollah – it will not be anymore”. Hezbollah characterized its mortar assault – the initial operation it had publicly declared since the ceasefire began last Wednesday – as a “warning” in reaction to ongoing Israeli breaches. The group launched its missiles subsequent to Israel’s firing of artillery shells and execution of at least four air strikes, which, according to Lebanese media, caused the deaths of two individuals: a person riding a motorbike and a member of the Lebanese security forces. In a statement, Hezbollah described this as a defensive action, explaining it was “given that appeals to the relevant authorities to stop these (Israeli) violations have proven futile,” which seemingly alluded to an international committee tasked with overseeing the truce. Kassem Kassir, a Lebanese political writer specializing in Islamist movements, stated: “This is an affirmation that the party remains strong and ready for any developments.” He added: “The key lies in activating the work of the international committee, ensuring the deployment of the Lebanese army, the withdrawal [of Israeli forces] from occupied Lebanese territories, and halting Israeli violations.” Paula Yaacoubian, an independent member of Lebanon’s parliament, suggested that Hezbollah likely launched the missiles to convey a message. She informed the BBC: “I think it can be just to tell Israel ‘we’re still here, and we can still fire’, so that Israel stops [its attacks].” She further noted: “It’s becoming embarrassing to Hezbollah to get all these violations and not even respond with anything.” Ms. Yaacoubian asserted that the potential resumption of conflict “is in the hands of Israel, not Hezbollah.” She also commented: “I think Hezbollah needs to gather its forces together, to see where the region is heading.” Nabih Berri, Lebanon’s parliamentary speaker and an ally of Hezbollah who participated in the truce negotiations on behalf of his nation, reported that a minimum of 54 Israeli ceasefire violations had been documented. He specified that these infractions encompassed air strikes, the demolition of residences near the border, and incursions into Lebanese airspace. He implored the monitoring commission to “urgently” guarantee Israel’s compliance with the accord. Israel maintains that its attacks are a reaction to Hezbollah’s violations, which are permitted under the agreement’s conditions. Its foreign minister, Gideon Saar, has accused Hezbollah of undertaking the forbidden action of relocating weapons south of the Litani River. The current situation largely hinges on the international committee, whose mandate is to corroborate allegations of ceasefire violations and foster dialogue between the involved parties. This committee will be co-chaired by US army general Jasper Jeffers, who arrived in Beirut last week, and Amos Hochstein, President Joe Biden’s senior advisor, who played a crucial role in brokering the truce. The committee’s composition also features representatives from France, the Israeli and Lebanese armed forces, and the United Nations Interim Forces in Lebanon (Unifil). While still in the organizational phase, the BBC comprehends that the objective is to assemble all members later this week to enable its inaugural meeting. On Monday, officials from the Biden administration highlighted the truce’s effectiveness. John Kirby, the White House national security spokesman, remarked: “Largely speaking… the ceasefire is holding.” He elaborated: “We went from hundreds of rocket attacks to basically zero by Hezbollah and dozens of air strikes by Israel to one or two a day. So there’s been a dramatic reduction in the violence.” He concluded by stating: “There’s a lot of work to do.” Additional reporting provided by Rawad Salameh. Copyright 2024 BBC. All rights reserved. The BBC disclaims responsibility for the content of external websites. Information regarding our policy on external linking is available.